Lawyer Sues for Not Getting Court-Appointed Work

A lawyer who describes himself as "East Indian," Arun Rattan, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Knox County's five sessions court judges as well as the county itself, alleging he was skipped over for indigent defense work because of his race. He is asking a federal judge to award him unspecified damages and the "costs for representing himself." Knox County Law Director Joe Jarret is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed, saying Rattan has no legal grounds to sue since there is no right under the law for a private attorney to receive taxpayer-funded criminal defense work. Read the details in the News Sentinel